Longevity is the theme today. And hindsight is 20-20 vision. And I just realized that this question can be read either of two ways: A): What would you buy if you could go back to 1981, buy new and drive until today? And B): what 1981 model car would you buy used today, to keep going for another thirty years? Which of course might (or not) be the same car.
A couple of parameters: you’re going to be driving this car regularly (although not at huge annual mileage numbers), and the whole goal is to be thrifty, so no, a 1981 Lamborghini isn’t going to cut it. But I will grant you one Eugenian exemption from reality: rust doesn’t exist. But everything else does.
Steven, that Olds is one of my dream cars. My God that car is beautiful!
Five years later and I’d say a FIAT Panda 1000S without hesitation, but – even with Paul’s generous rust exemption – ’81 is too early for one of those: the nasty leaf sprung rear suspension on the early mk1 kills it for me, not to mention the lack of the splendid FIRE engines… So that’s my “what car from 1986” answer.
From ’81 it would probably have to be a Volvo 245 GLE, though by now the fuel costs on that would be really hurting.
A): What would you buy if you could go back to 1981, buy new and drive until today?
I don’t know if my 19-year old self would have the presence of mind to realize how much my life would change in a few short years. My 19-year old self DID buy a left over 1980 Mercury Capri RS Turbo, which turned out to be a rather poor decision. If I had the capability to think long term (and limiting myself to North American models available to me), I’d like to think I’d be able to choose for long term durability and adaptability.
With those parameters in mind, I’d be looking for something like a B-body wagon (gasoline, probably), G-body wagon, a Fox body wagon, an AMC Concord wagon or possibly a K5 Blazer. Frankly, if I had more money to spend back in 1981, I would have been one of those folks who would have purchased a Turbo Trans Am, as I was in love with those cars, then as I am now.
B): what 1981 model car would you buy used today, to keep going for another thirty years? Which of course might (or not) be the same car.
At this point in time, I wouldn’t have to have this as a daily driver, correct?
Then I’m free to indulge in my fantasies. We’re blue sky dreaming here, right?
Strictly limited to 1981: Actually, a 81 Corvette would probably top the list, then the Turbo T/A, my old Capri RS and an AMC Spirit AMX .
You just can’t take the kid out of me.
1981 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser.
A Chevrolet pickup truck. Lots made in the body style, drivetrain substitutions possible with lots of choices, and a more or less useful purpose. Relatively inexpensive parts and easy to work on. Relatively sturdy with any maintenance and care at all. Would lean towards simpler models with less accessories to go kaput.
I just bought an ’11 Tundra which I like very much. I expect excellent reliability for the 10 years I expect to keep it. But even today if I wanted to keep a pickup for 35 years I’d buy the Chevrolet. Engine is mechanically simpler and most likely will be made for more model years. Parts availability deep into old age should be easier. Service would be less complex and easier for mere mortals.
For current vehicles I’d say two categories are most likely-
First high quality relatively simple cars which sell in high volume such as 4 cyl Camry, Accord, Civic, and Corolla. These should have good parts availability for quite a while.
Second- specialty cars with enthusiastic owners such as Corvette, Jeep, and other unique vehicles which have strong owner following. I strongly suspect the high performance V8 Mustang, Camaro of today will be highly collectible due to fuel economy requirements in the future.
420 SEL. Roomy, supremely comfortable, reliable, 300k mile plus durability, actually quite fuel efficient, and they made them forever so there are plentiful parts for the rare occasion when something does go wrong. Make mine black or white with the dark red interior
The 420SEL wasn’t introduced until ’86. Your gasser W126 choices in the USA would have been a 155 horsepower 380SE or a grey-market 500SEL with close to 240 horsepower. Tough decision, no? Not surprising that grey imports were a presence in the early ’80s from Europe.
I had forgotten, my parents actually had an ’81 Olds Cutlass Cruiser with the 260 V8, and although we did wind up keeping it for a long time (my mother picked it out on a dealer used lot in ’83, and I learned to drive in it), I wouldn’t have recommended it for the ownership experience. Not really unreliable, but build quality was atrocious.
Its great to see the Oldsmobile love on this Veterans Day.
A Sincere and heartfelt Thank You to all the Veterans and active Service Members among our little car group here.
300td benz wagon. if i could swap in a manual transmission, even better. i had an ’83 240d which i really didn’t want to sell but the wife lost faith in it after we almost got marooned on a hot august day with our infant daughter.
My number one choice would be an XD model Falcon, in actual fact Fairmont Ghia ESP with the 351 Cleveland and 4 speed trans, to go with the standard sports suspension, LSD, 4 wheel disc brakes, Recaro-style seats and all the other goodies of the top trim level. Same answer whether buying new in 1981 or today. Other choices would be a Falcon ute or long wheelbase LTD sedan, my father had one of these for 12 yrs and well over 200k miles.
Other options that would tempt & haven’t been mentioned yet include Fiat X1/9, Alfasud Sprint, Ford Capri V6, HDT Commodore or to be a bit crafty, buy now a Jag XJ-S with the Lynx Eventer shooting brake conversion done on it (because they weren’t done until a couple of years after 1981), while we’re at it stick an modern XKR powertrain in it.
If I was buying new in 1981? Grey market import BMW 635CSi with a 5-speed gearbox. With good maintenance & service, that car would easily last until 2011.
Because I’ve always liked small fuel efficient cars, it’s pretty easy, I’ll get an 81 Honda Civic 1500DX hatch with the 5spd manual, AC and upgrade to a decent sounding cassette deck or better yet, the Civic GL (later to become the S in ’83) OR get the wagon, but for that, I’d prefer the ’84-87 Civic tall wagons best. I owned an ’83 Civic 1500DX hatch with AC, 5spd manual and came with the stock AM/FM mono radio and it was a fun car and put some 70K on it in the 6 years I had it.
But for 1981 and slightly larger size, would be the final year for the first gen Accord, blue onblue 5spd manual thankyouverymuch. My Dad had a ’76 blue on blue with manual, though sans AC as I’d want the AC and make mine the lightly more fancy LX grade.
Barring those two, perhaps the last year Fiat Strada (Ritmo for the rest of you) or the R5 (Le Car) for something a bit less conventional.
Of course, no one picked the OBVIOUS choice for a 30 year automobile: the Volkswagen Beetle… yeah, you could no longer buy one (legally) in most of the US back in 1981… but… a friendly importer in Arizona was bringing them in from Mexico, re-registering the Mexican Beetles as “classic” cars, and selling them with US registration, all the way through the last Ultimo Edicion in 2003! Primitive? Sure, but that’s what you want, when the Zombie Apocalypse hits: a car you can work on yourself, runs on crappy gas, and parts you can fabricate in the basement, if necessary… so, my vote: Mexican VW Beetle!!!
I have been out of town for a few days so I couldn’t weigh in on the conversation. I have owned a lot of cars and driven a lot more and finding that elusive combination that is just right is just about impossible in my experience. Here is what I look for a in a car:
1. Reliability. I don’t want my dream car to break down and strand me all the time. I am simply too old to be bothered with waiting for two trucks in the rain and then having to fork out big money unexpectedly to keep my dream boat running. This by nature eliminates European cars since once past warranty, you are going to wear out your check book writing arm.
2. Fun to drive. I want a car that is fun to drive, meaning it has above average grunt upon applying the go pedal. Yes, the chances I actually get to do it are practically zilch in Vancouver traffic but out on the open road, I love it.
3. Handling. I want to be able fling said car into the fabled twisties (whatever they are) and not have the thing howl plow in protest. This involves having good steering and suspension, meaning rack and pinion and control arm. Struts blow compared to control arms.
4. Comfort: I want a comfortable interior that doesn’t fall apart. That means high quality upholstery and carpets.
5. Utility: I want lots of cargo space to put the stuff in that I need when I need it.
6. Reasonable fuel consumption. I can afford a car that gets 15 mpg but I just don’t have the lack of social responsibility to takes to drive one.
My choice for the 30 year car: Honda Accord. The only thing it lacks is utility. The rest of the car is beautiful. It is exceptionally well built, good on fuel, handles well and has plenty of zip. The seats are comfortable and supportive. The car is about as reliable as an anvil and it has yet (after two years) missed a beat.
The first car I can remember our family having is a 1980 Chev Caprice, bright orange. My father has fond memories of that car: it handled really well, was big inside, and was reliable. Rust was what killed it, so in this rustless universe it might not be a bad choice.
For trucks, give me a Dodge Ramcharger. Big V8, 4 spd standard. Yes, it gets poor mileage. But it’d live to see the cheap gas era of the late 90s, and be completely badass besides. (Assuming its terrible brakes don’t kill it/me beforehand.)
1981 Ford Mustang six-cylinder 4-speed stick, which I actually owned ’82-’87. Simple 200 Six, one-barrel carb, and overdrive on the 4-speed. It got mileage in the low twenties, and Ford had geared the rear end low enough that it came out of the hole very nicely (for a one-barrel Six). No top end, though. It was a nice driver; the front seats were comfortable and the space under the rear hatch could fit just about anything you could lift over the transom. Parts are easy to find and any fool could wrench on it–even me. The only downside was that with the wrong tires it could get tailhappy in the wet and do loop-de-loops sufficient to loosen your bowels. Believe me.
These 81’s were my favorites, but some wouldn’t last 30 yrs.
Citation X-11, [best of the X cars]
Z28, [last of Gen 2 round headlights]
Regal/Cutlass/Grand Prix 5.0 [1st year NASCAR used these bodies]
Malibu/LeMans 5.0 [last LeMans]
Mustang/Capri hatch [too bad 302 not aval til 82]
T-Bird/Granada/Cougar [Fox bodies can be modded as Stangs]
Caprice/Impala [solid tanks]
Favorite Imports
Accord hatch/4 door [best looking Accords ever]
VW Rabbit
280ZX
Celica Supra [82 is around the corner]